#//yes she said TM out loud

[heroicmultiverse]

"Damn, who invited Father of the Year™️ over here?"

[lisbonsteresa]

you ever just

[hemlock-dreams]

What's Spidys relationship like with the other NY bound heros?

Got a bunch of other hero asks so it's time for Ye Olde Lore Dump!

Johnny and H!Spiderman have never gotten along- in either universe.

They don't even really have any real beef with each other, they're just two dudes who grate on each other's nerves for no particular reason- like two guys at a frat party who are just waiting for an excuse to duke it out.

There's just something about Johnny's playboy easy-come-and-go vibe that makes Spidey want to plant a fist in his face. And Johnny thinks Spiderman is a fucking buzzkill.

Black Widow and Spiderman have a good working relationship. He once helped her out of a tight spot in New York and he was fast, smart and discreet about it- so when she's got some ops she needs a second pair of hands for (under the table), she calls him.

Spiderman admires Nat's competence and single-minded focus in getting things done- they all appeal to the hunter in him. (And he's got a massive crush on her.)

They usually do one or two jobs every few months, and meet up for drinks at one of her safehouses. She's also knows his secret identity, because she's just that scary.

Logan and Peter are BFFs. For real. Logan was in town to help with some shit that ended up involving Deadpool and found himself at St. Margaret's.

He and Peter struck up a friendship that ends up with them going camping every couple of months for a week or so.

Logan likes Peter's no-bullshit sincerity and can tell he's had some shit(TM) go down in his life. Peter's easy to talk to and is good at reading the room. And Peter feels like Logan fills in that space Marko left as a friend/mentor/gruff bro figure.

Logan actually picks up when Peter calls. (most others he leaves on read).

Fun fact, he has no idea Peter is Spiderman.

And another fun fact, it's not Johnny Deadpool is jealous of, it's Logan.

Peter has a very complicated relationship with the Avengers.

On one hand, he knows what they do and what they stand for- on the other hand, he's got a real problem with authority figures. He's been invited to the Avengers multiple times, in both realities.

The answer is always blanket N.O. (And, depending on whether it's stark asking, accompanied by a giant middle finger). (Though he's reluctantly agreed to have an avenger's phone in case there are any massive threats they need help with).

As for the members:

Stark gets on his nerves like nothing else. He's not super easy to rile up, but Stark's playboy arrogance (real or not), way he talks down at people, the self-appointed authority, the entitlement, and, of course, the fucking hypocrisy- it makes Spidey go 0 to 'cashmeoutside' immediately.

He and the Captain sometimes get along, but mostly when the Captain isn't in one of his preachy, pontificating moments. They do work very well together in a combat capacity, but they don't have much to talk about.

Thor is fine, but completely outside of Spidey's sphere and also, difficult to work with given his powers.

Bruce and Spidey just don't have much to talk about, and once again, Hulk is way too loud and can't particularly coordinate when they have to team up.

In general, H!Spiderman gets along with the more 'loner' heroes like Murdock, Deadpool, Black Widow, Bucky, Logan, Clint and so on.

(Side note, imagine he said all these shots fired shit to the Avengers and they were like 'no? none of this happened?' because it's not the same reality and Spiderman has to go home and die from the cringe???) (no we'll let him be cool for this)

-----

Once again, thank you so much for the asks!! I really appreciate all the love this AU has gotten and I hope these answers satisfy!!!

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

part 2 to this | T | wc: 2,141

🐺🌕🐾🐺🌕🐾

No wonder he didn’t fuckin hear him. His whole brain was focusing on excuses that it drowned out anything else. Without the door opening (which would 100% have shut him up), Steve didn’t have the brain power to listen for even the softest carpet-muffled footsteps.

“Sorry, I was coming to help and then I heard you talking about…” Eddie starts, but trails off, glancing between Robin and Steve, then shakes his head as if getting himself back on track, “But then you said you’d ‘radish’ me and it was so damn funny…”

For a breath, no one says anything. Steve can hear it in Eddie’s breath and in his heartbeat’s slightly quickening pace that he’s just about to say something else, probably some way to excuse himself, when Robin bursts out laughing.

“Seriously! I couldn’t believe it either, ‘Radish’! Ha!” She continues to cackle, doubling over dramatically.

Steve rolls his eyes at her, “Yeah, yeah, Steeb no good with word.”

That just makes her laugh louder. “Oh this is too good, damn, I can’t breathe.” She giggles again, standing straight only momentarily, because as soon as she looks at Steve, she starts cracking up again. “Sorry, sorry, I gotta,” another giggle, a gesture toward the house, “I’m just gonna…” she heads back inside, cackling all the way. He even hears her mumble ‘radish’ to herself again just before she slides the door closed behind her.

“Uh…surpri–”

“You’re really a werewolf?” Eddie cuts him off, then realizes. “Oops, sorry.”

Steve sighs and sinks down onto one of the patio chairs. He looks up at Eddie, still standing by the sliding door, and pats the spot on the seat next to him.

Eddie, of course, nearly trips over his own feet to get over to him, falling onto the chair with enough force to shift the feet on his end backwards an inch or two.

“Yeah, I really am.” Steve takes a deep breath and glances over at Eddie; his eyes are wide and wholly focused onto Steve, more than ready to listen. He huffs a laugh when he lets out the breath. “I’m sure you have questions.”

He’s barely gotten the words out when Eddie starts pelting him with questions. “So, can you like..smell really good? Or hear? How far can you hear? Does everyone have their own scent? If you bite someone, do they become a werewolf too? Do you only change on the full moon or is it a ‘whenever I feel like it’ type thing? Like, are you a werewolf or a Werewolf TM?”

Steve snickers at Eddie taking the time to actually say the letters T-M out loud, but it doesn’t affect Eddie’s focus on asking a million and one questions in the slightest. “What color is your fur? Is it brown like your hair? Do you even have fur when you change? Do you have claws? How big do you get anyway? Do you have a tail? Is the pack thing real? What about the mate thin—”

That’s where he cuts himself off. The bright blush on his face seemed to be the cause; all the blood that he could’ve used in his brain to ask more, suddenly rushing to fill up his face with color.

Still smiling, Steve asks, “You done?”

Eddie gulps down nothing, managing a strangled “Yep.”

“Well, I’m a werewolf, I turn into a…not exactly a wolf, I don’t think, more like a big dog? And it’s not really a moon thing; I can change whenever I want to, though I feel more of a need to around the full moon. It’s easier then too.

“I’m about as tall as I am now when I’m changed, like, my face is right about the place it usually is, and yes, I’m stronger, faster, and have had better hearing and smell since it happened.”

“What happened anyway?”

“Hang on, hang on, I’m still answering your first zillion questions.” Steve says, faux-disgruntled. It makes Eddie laugh and do a weird half gesture slash bow in his seat for Steve to continue.

“Okay, uhm…” He starts to count out things on his fingers, thinking back on what Eddie asked. “Yes tail, yes to everyone having a scent, but that’s already been a thing, you can smell other people too, can’t you?” Eddie shrugs in acknowledgement, “Mine’s just stronger of a smell; Not claws, but I have nails like any other dog.. 

“And the pack thing…” This one was going to be more difficult, “Yes? But mostly only for the kids I suppose. And Robin. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll put myself between any of you and whatever danger comes along, but it’s like in my bones to want to…I dunno, hoard them all away? Wolf analogy would be to put them all in the cave,” he gestures to one side, “and put me in the entrance.” Then gestures to his other side. “Not realistic, but that’s what it feels like.”

Eddie snorts a laugh, but nods, so he continues on. “The mate thing though,” Eddie tenses, “It’s not like the fics, not really at least as far as I can tell.”

“You’ve read werewolf fics?”

Steve shrugs, “I got curious, sue me.” They both fall silent, staring out over the pool.

“How’d it happen?”

He takes in a long breath through his nose; the chlorine stings.

“Couple years ago the shitheads roped me into venturing through these tunnels under Merrill’s Pumpkin Patch. Upside Down related nonsense, of course, and when I was helping them back up out of the hole to avoid this..herd of demodogs, I was still down there when they came tearing down the path.

“I think one of them snuck a taste and that’s what did it. Though I didn’t notice it at first, adrenaline and all; plus the beating I’d taken from Hargrove what, a couple hours before that at minimum?

“I woke up a couple days after everything was over that time as a dog, nearly snapped my bedframe in half with all the extra weight. Anyway, long story short is: I woke up a dog, took me a couple days to figure out how to turn back, then another chunk of time figuring out how to do it on purpose, then Starcourt happened and whatever those guys shot me up with made it so I couldn’t change for a while, made me pretty loopy, but I got Robin out of the whole thing, and told her about wolf Steve while coming down off that truth crap, and that’s pretty much it.”

Eddie blinks at him once.

Twice.

Then, sounding as if he was releasing a breath he’d been holding that whole time, Eddie heaves out a “Jesus Christ.”

“Yep.”

Eddie blinks at him a couple more times, then his face scrunches up as if he’s in pain, “Jesus Christ, you heard me talking about being claimed and shit… I was talking to you about it, uugh!” he drops his face into his palms in exasperation.

Steve hears Eddie’s frantic heartbeat grow faster then, so clear it’s as if he had his ear pressed directly to his chest.

“And you overheard me saying I’d like to radish you,” a loud laugh escapes Eddie’s lips, “So I think we’re about even.”

He’d tried to sound confident and nonchalant about it, but in the breath it took Eddie to finally drag his hands down off his face, Steve’s own heart and thoughts were thundering on. It must’ve really, only been hypotheticals, wishful thinking, fantasy. There’s no way Eddie would actually want him. No way his affections that'd grown for the man beside him in the short month since the world didn’t end, would be returned.

Eddie finally removes his hands, “The full moon is only a couple days away.” he says, glancing up at the sky.

See? Topic changed. Steve knew it’d be too good to be true.

“Yeah, there was one right before everything happened last month.” Steve nods, swallowing down the lump in his throat, “Maybe I’ll come by the park and visit.” He elbows Eddie playfully.

“I’ll make sure Wayne doesn’t shoot ya.” Eddie grins.

Steve snorts, elbowing him again and standing. “C’mon, let’s go back in, I think Robin wants to play Uno.”

- - - - -

True to his word, Steve loped out into the light of the full moon a couple nights later on all fours, trotting away from Loch Nora with one place on his mind. 

Crossing through the forest separating the two neighborhoods, he makes it to the edge of the Forest Hills park in no time at all. He skirts along the edge of the park to where the government had bought and placed the Munsons’ new apology double-wide and hunches low, padding along until he’s under the window he knows is Eddie’s.

Even if he hadn’t known before now, the music he could hear across the highway out by the entrance to the park would certainly tell him which one is the metalhead’s.

He hops his front paws up just under the edge of the window and sneaks a glance inside.

Eddie’s bed is against the wall in this trailer, the end of it falling right under this window, and Eddie is sitting in the middle of the mattress, hunched over his guitar.

Not wanting to scare him, Steve originally wants to just scratch his nails along the sturdy vinyl siding here, but even if he didn’t have enhanced hearing, he’d know that Eddie wouldn’t be able to hear something so light.

So, he barks.

One short ‘boof’ at the bottom pane does it, and if Eddie had been holding anything but the literal most important possession of his, it’d be on the other side of the room with how far he jumps.

“Jesus Chri— Steve?” he asks disbelievingly at the window.

Steve feels his doggy face react to the goofy grin he’d be doing if he’d been on two legs. Tongue lolling out one side, tail swooshing up a mini hurricane behind him, damn he’s obvious.

Eddie comes to the window and Steve drops down onto all fours, plopping down on his haunches while he waits for his friend to budge open the glass.

He finally wrenches it open, grinning down at Steve in wonder, “Look at you, big boy, y’came to see me after all—”

Whatever Eddie says after that is lost to the now-settling wind. 

All of Steve freezes up. His tail stops mid wag, his jaw snaps shut and narrowly misses catching his tongue on his own teeth. 

Because Steve can smell him.

He can smell Eddie.

Screw whatever he’d told him before at his pool, not everyone has a smell. Not one like this.

Sweet and spicy, smoky and delicious, like nothing he'd ever smelled before.

The wolf part of his brain, a mostly mute half of him that seems to be what tells him where the moon is in its cycle, how far away that smell he picked up on the wind is, that holds all his baser instincts, screams “MINE.”

Just before he’s about to fling himself over/onto/past Eddie in the window to get into that trailer by any means necessary, Steve’s conscious human brain grasps onto the last sliver of conscious thought, and not a moment too soon. His legs were couched as if about to leap.

He wrestles his wolf brain back, tucking his tail down (telling it desperately to stop wagging goddamnit), lowering his front paws and nose to the ground and taking lungfuls of dirt smell instead, and backs up.

He takes two good steps back before Eddie’s voice cuts through his hold on himself, “-eve? Steve! What’s wron–?”

His hold on his last strand of conscious thought wrenches him around and sends him flying back into the trees to Eddie’s call of “Where are you going?”

He just needs to stay out of Hawkins, stay in the woods at least, nowhere near where Eddie would find him if he came looking.. At least until the full moon is over and he won't feel that uncomfortable itch beneath his skin to shift if he goes back to two legs.

His thoughts threaten to whirl, why now, why Eddie? Okay, he knows why he’d like it to be Eddie, but really? Mates are a real thing and Eddie is his?? 

The wolf brain rumbles happily and Steve finds himself listing back towards Forest Hills mid-run and corrects himself.

He can’t risk hurting Eddie; what would he even do? His wolf brain says to bite, to claim, reminds him that Eddie wants that too, but wouldn’t that hurt him?? His teeth are, in fact, much larger in this form.

He’s listing again.

Steve shakes his head, empties his head of everything but run, breathe, run, breathe, run…

Daybreak can’t come soon enough.

🐺🌕🐾🐺🌕🐾

surprise! it was always meant to be 'radish' lmao

editing to tag folks who were interested in the last part!

@shainsaw22, @devondespresso, @sageclipse, @allyricas, @hotluncheddie, @stedumpsterfire, @themoonagainstmers, @mugloversonly, @yesdangerpls, @matchingbatbites

[sebsbarnes]

Hi there!

I first of all wanted to start off by saying that I’m absolutely obsessed with your work- it’s amazing!!

Secondly, I was wondering if I could make a request?

Can I request a tangerine x reader where they’re out at a bar or something and there’s this guy being really pervy and creepy and just won’t leave her alone?

Obviously the reader can handle herself but they just got back from a long and tiring mission, and she quite honestly doesn’t have the energy.

So of course tan comes to the rescue 🤭🤭

I hope this is okay, and if not please feel free to ignore this!!

Have a wonderful day love and don’t forget to drink lots of water <33

heey!! i really appreciate the kind words, it keeps me going! i hope you've had a good day/night and if not tm will be better! and i hope u enjoy this!

bar fight || tangerine

tangerine x f!reader

warnings: harassment, fighting

word count: 1.6k+

masterlist

a/n: im drawing inspo from something that happened to me one time at a bar which will be the reason tan steps in here but of course tangerine was not there to save me although that would've been lovely

"just one pint! two, two! i swear and then we all can leave," lemon pleaded, "we can leave the second i finish it. i'll even take the last sip on the way out the door," he tried enticing you, rubbing his shoulder up and down against yours.

"i reek, lemon. and tangerine looks like he nose dived into green and purple paint," you grimaced slightly at the bruises forming on tan's face.

lemon grabbed your wrist dragging you closer to the bar doors, "is it even a real bar if at least ten people don't smell awful and your shoes don't stick to the floor?"

the color of your eyes disappeared into the back of your head, "let's go."

lemon did a little victory dance before swinging the door open which tangerine held for you to walk in. the fatigue was riddled on both of your faces. the three of you had just gotten back into town after a long and very successful mission. you were all for celebrating but tonight you'd rather celebrate with a burning hot shower.

"you 'right by yourself? i'm going to head to the balcony for a few," tangerine asked, waving his pack of cigarettes in the air.

"yeah go for it, i'll manage," you replied. tangerine gave you a small nod before turning his back and sliding outside.

the inside of the bar was packed and you were shuffling around with your shoulders pulled in to try and avoid hitting people. it was loud, smelly, and yes, the floors were grossly sticky. it only annoyed you more, but, you tried having a positive attitude about it. 'two drinks' is all you kept telling yourself. after what felt like years you made it to the bar. you were sandwiched against a girl with blonde hair and a guy who weaseled his way in between you and an older gentleman. you could feel his eyes burning holes in the side of your head and the last thing you wanted to do was look over, but, it was becoming too much.

"hi!" he nearly yelled as you glanced over quickly.

"hey," you said curtly, bringing your lips into a straight line.

"i'm craig. what's your name?" he asked leaning in closer to you. you gave him your name, refusing to look back at him as you felt his eyes examine you. the drink you ordered appeared in front of you and you scribbled your name on the receipt.

"what's that you're drinking?" craig asked but you pretended not to hear him as you slinked into the crowd, hoping to lose him.

it worked for a while, you found some space near a wall to stand. there was a group of girls next to you singing loudly and dancing around. you couldn't lie and say it wasn't infectious as one of the drunk girls grabbed your hand and started dancing with you, which of course you joined in. it was fun and it kept your mind off how tired your body was.

"thought i lost you there!" you flinched away, startled, by craig's nervous laughter beside you. you looked down at the man who stood inches below you and gave him an award-winning fake smile.

"you're very pretty," he said puffing his chest out slightly.

"thanks."

"you don't talk much, eh? is it because you're nervous around me?" craig asked his eyes looking down at your legs.

"just tired!" you exclaimed with fake enthusiasm, gulping down the tequila in your cup.

"you seem a bit lonely, are you by yourself tonight?" he persisted, inching closer to you with each word despite you stepping to the side each time.

"nope!" you retorted, popping the 'p' and turning to find the bathroom.

you stayed in the bathroom for a few minutes and finished your drink. the eyebags seemed to protrude out of your face as you examined them in the mirror. now, lemon had to almost be done with his drinks. that man can pound drinks back. so, with high hopes you left the bathroom to go find a seat at the bar and wait until lemon found or texted you or hopefully tangerine was done smoking.

there was a vacant stool in the dead center which you jumped on. your elbow rested against the bar, head in hand, absentmindedly watching the tv in the corner. it was a boxing match that you had zero interest in but it provided enough entertainment. you shut your eyes tight as you felt the familiar, unwelcomed, presence over your shoulder.

"look, i think you are really pretty. hotter than anyone else here and look at me. any girl would want me and the fact you're trying to play hard to get is starting to really piss me off," craig ranted but you refused to turn your head and pretended like the noise of the bar drowned his voice out.

"you're right, i'm sorry. that was rude of me, i apologize. i just noticed you the moment you walked into the bar and i needed to talk to you. you're really beautiful and i know i'd treat you right. whoever you're dating must not be treating you right because i can feel that you want me."

tangerine blew out one last cloud of smoke and tossed his cigarette into the ashtray. it was far more peaceful outside but he knew he had to go in and find lemon, who he knew was more than two drinks in and probably friends with ten more people. tangerine opened the door back into the bar and scanned the room. that's when he saw a man with his hand on your throat.

you ignored craig's presence until you no longer could. he was silent for a few moments after his rant. suddenly, you saw a hand snake into your field of vision and you felt his hand pressing firmly against your throat. you were shocked for a moment before realizing what was going on. craig's thumb and middle finger were applying harsh pressure to your throat making it hard to breathe. then, you felt the pressure shift in his hand from choking to pushing. craig pulled you to the ground by your throat, your body flying backward off the stool and slamming into the floor.

you saw a figure jump over your body and loud commotion next to you but you were too disorientated at the moment from the wind being knocked out of you. one of the bartenders leaped over the bar and pulled you up and shielded you from the commotion. that's when you realized it was tangerine who had hopped over and started beating craig to the floor. it was like a scene straight out of the boxing match you were just watching. tangerine towered over craig in height and build and the anger in his face was terrifying.

tangerine was throwing the smaller man across the bar with punches. he'd punch craig in the face to which he stumbled and then tangerine would trip him. his body would fall to the ground and tangerine would pick him up by the shirt before launching him into the now vacant stools.

"please!" craig pleaded, blood running from his eyebrow. tangerine grabbed the back of his neck and slammed his face into the bar.

"you like hurting women? huh?" he screamed, "you think you're so tough, look at you now! fuckin' pathetic piece of shit. what? it's not fun being picked on and harassed?"

tangerine was raging. his face and chest were red with anger and the vein in his forehead pulsated. he had wild eyes similar to when he was on a mission. you watched as he slipped his hand into his pants pocket, slipping on his brass knuckles. before he was able to crush the bastard's nose lemon swooped in from behind and grabbed tangerine's bicep. the bouncers from outside grabbed craig by the neck of his shirt and kicked his bloody body out of the bar. lemon's hands were on tangerine's shoulders trying to calm his brother down. finally, tangerine's chest rose and fell at a normal pace and he turned his head and noticed you. lemon released his shoulders letting him walk to you.

tangerine cupped your face and craned his neck down a bit, "are you alright love?"

you laughed slightly uncomfortable that a big scene was made because of you, "yeah... just shocked really."

"did he hurt you in any other way?" he asked with softness.

"no. no... i didn't think it would turn into that. he had been bothering me the whole time i should've been more forceful but i was just too tired to really care," you sighed.

"no," tangerine said sternly, now eye level with you, "none of this is your fault, okay? that prick should know better than to continue to harass someone who is clearly not accepting their advances. and the fact he fuckin' put his hands on you. fuck i'll..." tangerine gritted his teeth now standing upright and looking towards the door craig was kicked out of.

"tan! no. you getting arrested is not worth it. i'm okay, okay? he got what he deserved and i really don't want to be here any longer," you pleaded, grabbing onto his forearm to force him to look at you.

tangerine caressed your head, his eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and anger. tangerine guided you outside and when the door shut he pulled you into a tight but gentle hug, mindful of your back.

"i'm so fuckin' sorry love. i should've stayed with you the whole night," he whispered into your hair.

you pulled back from the hug, "mmm no, hey, hey- that's not what we are going to do. you have nothing to be sorry for and i'm thankful for you and not just now when you beat dickheads up for me, but always."

[thelongestway]

And this is it. :) The Nameless Fanfic (placeholder name stands, for now; I name things either first or last) is done.

That said, I'll probably be keeping The Nameless Fanfic as a series name, because I think I have a Situation for part 2.

Before then, though, I probably want to let this fic lie for a week or two, print it and do a proper line edit to put it on AO3. And also write a thanks-and-some-meta post. And do some proper formatting here. So... I don't know if part 2 is going to be soon (tm), but it might happen.

Meanwhile, I think this story is actually, properly finished. That was a ride, at least for me - I hope you, the readers, also enjoyed.

Without further ado...

Chapter 15: Play

After the checks and permits were resolved, Iceblink met me on top of the Tenacious' walkway, alone. She had gotten herself a pair of feed glasses and rigged a small keyboard bracer to her right arm, which she was typing on animatedly. A moment later, she motioned for me to follow her, then tapped my feed on a text-only channel as we walked.

Hi, SecUnit! Dandelion told me you liked talking in the feed more, so I hope you don't mind if I test my new deck?

Go ahead, I poked at Dandelion herself, but she only returned a curt poke back, and then went quiet again. It was kind of disturbing being inside her hull when she wasn't really there. Is your spaceship sulking?

XD XD XD ^____^ ahahahahaahaha

What the actual fuck was all of that?

Iceblink grinned at me.

Nah, she's not sulking. Never been the type. But she has been making herself scarce for a little bit, at least until the SSC gets back to Captain Reed about her case. BY THE WAY SEC UNIT.

It's SecUnit.

By the way, SecUnit! Dandelion ALSO told me you're some kind of media afficionado. She gave me A LIST.

No. Fuck you. You didn't let me download YOUR media.

:3 we didn't know you then!!! trade you? everything you got for everything we got?

…Fine.

Initiating transfer!

Iceblink started the file exchange, and then stopped walking for a moment, hand hanging over her keyboard. She looked at me. Then at a nearby speaker.

"That is still an incredibly bad idea." Dandelion said out loud.

"I know!" Iceblink groaned. "But it's just so… Frustrating. Are you sure that's not how they do things here?"

"Yes."

"Ugh." She began typing again. It is grinding my gears just to say this out loud, but, uh, SecUnit, do friendly people in feed security never really, you know, do blind penetration testing on each other as a kind of hello? No warning, you just start once someone decides you're good enough friends?

No. Because that would be incredibly stupid. And right now also an asshole move that would make you lose movie night privileges forever.

Pfft, even Dandelion only lost hers until we're getting back to Trellin. It's not healthy to deprive people of socialization.

The answer is still no. Don't fucking do it. How the fuck did that even get started???

We had a friend in the early node ship days, Tal Smithson. Dandelion suddenly inserted herself into our text channel. Ke liked training the new generation of IT specialists that way. Ke would have been very glad to see the tradition going, Iceblink, but… Not right now.

Iceblink sighed.

Yeah, Dandelion. I know. SecUnit, consider this a formal invitation to play if you want to. I won't start.

I said, Ok. I'll think about it, because Iceblink was definitely the sort of human who would keep pinging me until she at least got an acknowledgement. But then we got to the Friend's cabin, and Iceblink left me alone with a little wave.

The Friend was sitting at its desk, drawing up some schemas by hand. It looked up when I entered.

"SecUnit." It said. And it sounded weird. And it stared at me.

I stared past it. "Yes. I've got a package for you. From your clients."

It stood up and continued staring.

"SecUnit." It repeated. "Fuck. That wasn't a codename."

I held out the package. It took the box and put it down on the table, on top of the schemas. It had been conducting a post mortem threat assessment of the entire hostage situation.

We stared some more. Then I turned and walked out.

On my way out, I pinged Dandelion, and this time she opened a proper channel.

That was very weird. Are you sure it doesn't need a cubicle or something?

Yes. That was very strange. I don't know why it reacted to you like that. It had been a lot more animated when it told me that a former Friend should have known better, among many other things, and it seems back to normal now that you're gone.

What did you tell it?

She chuckled, sounding sad.

That a long time ago, a dear friend tried to cheer me up by telling me that I could still be a Friend. I took the vows, after all, I did the work. And I told them I couldn't. Not anymore. And that at a crucial juncture it turned out I'd been right.

Dandelion opened her hatch for me, and I walked out down the ramp, into the embarkation area.

Thank you for getting it out alive, SecUnit.

It didn't look like the Trellians would be hauling too much cargo any time soon, so I scanned the area and found an empty spot by the wall with a good view of the stars. I sat down there, and opened a shared feed workspace, then sent Dandelion an invitation. She accepted with a Query? that felt like a raised eyebrow.

I started the first episode of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.

[cafecourage]

Pinky Isn't Suffering - Finale

It was a time tm to write this and I'm happy its finally posted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The question of what now and what exactly Twilight’s and Pinky’s relationship was. 

Unfortunately, they didn’t really get a chance to process anything because as soon as they both were spotted, Twilight and Pinky were whisked off to do different tasks around the settlement. Enno was found and still healing in Skyloft but they needed more supplies. Twilight went on a small hunting trip for food with Wild while Pinky was able to team up with Zelda with the other supplies since there wasn’t much supplies on the surface.

When they finally reconvene, it was the evening at the inn.

The others had already split up the room at the inn to save on time. This led to them sharing a room. Naturally.

Pinky looked at Twilight with a small tired smile “I’ll be in your care again then.” She was teasing him. Twilight’s nerves couldn’t be calmed though. The two of them knew that the talk needed to happen but was it so wrong of him to process this without the crushing realization that she liked him back, and not only that, but have a ranch and family together?

However, fate it seems had other ideas for them.

As when the two of them walked into the room, there was only one bed. Twilight had to stand there for a moment. Two, actually. He couldn’t help but sigh. This had the other boy’s prank idea written all over it. He walks in already taking off his bag and pelt. “I’ll sleep on the-“

“Sleep with me,” Pink said, interrupting him. This caused another long pause as Twilight tried to do the math in his head about what she even meant with that. “I mean sleep in the bed with me.” Pinky clarified quickly, “please… there’s enough room for the both of us.” She walks over, helping him take off the pelt with Twilight frozen in his spot. Then he takes her hands. “We… we also need to-“

“I love you.” Twilight was a little loud with that announcement taking her back for a second. It was very loud for such an intimate moment. “For a while now actually.” He continued. He can’t stop now that the flood gates are open. “Maybe since I’ve first met you.”

With a shaky hand, he lifts it up to cup her cheek. “Your laugh, your smile, your everything. I love it all. I love how gentle yet firm you are, that you look out for the others and me. I love your boundless empathy, your wit, and determination.” Twilight gently tugs Pinky closer, giving her a chance to back off if she chooses to. But she steps closer when he intends to hold her while wrapping her arms around his torso. 

“I love you Brittany.”

“Link…” Pinky tears up then goes face first into his chest. “I love you too.” Just a few simple words and he was tearing up. Holding her felt like he was holding the world in his arms. 

It felt safe and warm having her here.  “Yes, I will share the bed with you.” He adds.

This made Pinky pause for a second and laugh.

Twilight cups her cheeks again, “may I?”

“Yes, finally!” Pinky sighs, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Please.” She didn’t have to say anymore as Twilight swoops in for a long deserved kiss.

[peppershark]

Could we please get a snippet for the next Wolfed update? 🥺

Yes—plz forgive me, non this update is way later than I promised but it’s gonna be a banger. 😏

Presently, the trees open to a larger meadow where a sea of dusky brown cattle spread out across the green embankment, browsing among colorful dots of wildflowers. About as many stout little calves wander or lay in groups, strewn about the grass.

Their bells clink in a chime-like sound that pangs in Hermione, a haunting nostalgia that can’t be placed.

The high peaks gloam down at them, their granite faces like stern, rough-hewn kings crowned with snow.

Tom loops around the path, Black’s legs hock-deep in the grass, and he brings Nagini’s lead rope to Hermione.

“Just hang on to her and stay here. You’ll block the wrong end of the trail.”

He has a severity to his movements as he gathers up the reins, so serious. Black picks up on his energy, stepping quickly and quivering his nostrils at the cows. Eager.

Without looking backward, he urges Black into a gentle canter toward the edge of the trees, hemming around behind the cattle.

A murmuring low echoes across the pasture, and the bells start to clank together. 

A ripple of cows move like one brown phalanx toward the trail. Flurries of starlings and grasshoppers shoot up from the grass around their legs.

Hermione grips Nagini’s rope.

All she has to do is stay here, he said, and the cows will turn away from her and go up the trail.

The mule swishes her tail, bobbing her long, cinnamon-speckled head. It’s as if Nagini can pick up on Hermione’s lack of confidence like a strong scent. 

Dread plunges through her.

The cows approach ponderously. 

Some veer up the trail, but others stop a few yards from Hermione. Their long-lashed gaze and whuffing snorts make her fear they’re planning to rush her hesitant barricade.

Nagini tosses her head, jerking on the rope. Has the mule chosen this time to test her on purpose?

“No you don’t!” Hermione says in her boldest voice.

But when it comes to hoofed creatures, she knows she has no clout.

Giving her a malicious eye, Nagini stretches her strawberry roan neck and arches like a cat. The baggage on the pack saddle bunches precariously, listing at an alarming angle.

All at once, a horrible, metal-clattering sound bellows from the mule, loud as the wail of a steam engine. Its sheer volume beside Hermione obscures any familiarity she has with a ‘hee-haw’ sound and instead nearly bowls her over. 

With another trumpeting call, Nagini launches into a series of fierce bucks and kicks, rolling the pack saddle askew. The rope strains in Hermione’s fingers, and she leans heavily on her left stirrup to keep hold of it.

The ground rushes at her before she can think, knocking the wind out of her lungs.

Hermione squirms on the dirt, gasping. Fighting to take in air.

There’s a vibration resonating through the packed soil of the trail and a chorus of anxious moos. 

She braces herself up on her elbow to find Crookshanks trotting off toward the grass while Nagini bolts, flailing her back legs in the air and rolling her spine like she has a burr under her saddle.

The cows scatter from the mule like oil from water. 

A flank of cattle stamp toward her, snorting wildly. Hooves thunder the earth. 

Hermione opens her mouth to cry Stop! but her lungs are wrung out.

She gags on air.

Hand shaking, she reaches for her wand but her sleeve holds nothing but her trembling arm.

Nothing remains but for her to watch the cows fill her vision, only feet away now. Their smell is sweet, sodden grass and animal musk. Eyes white around their edges.

Turning away, she shields her face with her arm…

…Next weekend I will have the chapter done! I’m just one scene away from turning over to @seollem-tm my beta!

[fruitsgoblin]

*kicks in the door* I heard you like Sigma and I need your thoughts on him (I have recently discovered him and I feel like I’ve slept on this)

YES... he is the current little meow meow of my heart... tragic enthusiastic astrophysicist with a good heart and a great voice my beloved

im gonna ramble now so---

you can see his origin story video on youtube and currently from what I'm getting there hasn't really been much lore for him since he released like... 3.. years ago? BUT there are little crumbs of information you can get and/or interpret from the voice lines he has and his interactions with the characters in game, some of my faves in particular being:

all the sombra lines with him where it feels like she genuinely cares and worries for him, she looks out for him as Moira and the others perform... definitely """non-intrusive""" experiments on him as he says (I am new to the OW world proper but I can't help but wonder if Talon's experimenting on him is part of why his mental state isn't improving as much as it should (his mind tends to wander).. it's already known that they just want him to be their living weapon and not actually support his research... I hope we get to see him changing over to overwatch's side and get life quality improvements with Winston's help)

the kill lines when you take down moira and doomfist, which are apparently dutch proverbs -- I wonder what his true thoughts are on his "co-workers" and if he truly doesn't realize he's being used

all the voice lines with him asking silly things which convinces me he would 1000% be the one roommate to wake you up at 4am to say things like "if two astronauts were on the moon and one threw a rock at the other one would that be messed up or what"

and... more, honestly, he's a HUGE DORK and while you can feel he's a sweet person trough a lot of the lines theres ones where hes absolutely savage ("death traveled lightyears to take you" when killing someone by throwing a huge rock at them via his gravity powers -- or, my absolute fave that made me cackle maniacally out loud, when interrupting Genji's ability "oh! sorry did I interrupt your swordplay?" LIKE... SIR.)

also bc I just realized I completely forgot to mention the main things about him:

called "sigma", his real name is siebren de kuiper and he's a 62 yr old dutch astrophysicist, focus on black holes, got his gravity powers from said black holes (experiment gone wrong), got emprisoned by the government and boy I can only imagine the trauma this blorbo has (was he receiving proper care??? therapy???? man is literally out here losing himself) and then got rescued by The Baddies TM (Talon) to be turned into a living weapon on the pretense of wanting to help him with his research

(clutches my little gay heart) I have so much love for this senior citizen I will cherish him and kiss he. which is really super funny because I started out playing him because it was funny to inflict ToesMan on my friends but then I heard him and more about him and turns out. I was the one being inflicted with ToesMan all along (we lovingly call him toesman because in most of his skins the only skin showing are his head and his feet)

[leethepiper]

PJO/HOO/TOA Fic Recs

Note: I consider Son of Sea Foam to be the greatest pjo fic I've ever read, so even if none other on this list interest you, I think you should try that one.

Son of Sea Foam

“She’ll never claim me,” he whispered. Silena shook her head, eyes wild as she looked around for anyone who could be watching.

“My mother doesn’t remember half of her children as it is,” she said with a note of bitterness. “If you do something to impress her, it won’t matter. Return the bolt in her name. She’ll claim you if you act the part. If you stay unclaimed then they'll figure out what you really are," she said, squeezing his hands tightly. Percy's heart sped up.

"I - I don't know the first thing about Aphrodite-"

"My mother was born of sea foam," Silena cut him off. "And if you're really who I think you are... you are the sea. You can pull this off," she said and touched his cheek. "Get the bolt. Survive," she said. Percy swallowed.

"What if I can't act the part?" He asked. Silena's expression went blank for a moment. Slowly, she slipped off her bracelet and placed it in his hands.

"If you're going to be one of us... you better learn."

Or

AU where Percy has to hide the fact he's a Big Three kid otherwise he'll be killed on the spot. Unfortunately for him, unclaimed kids tend to raise the most suspicion... but he might have found a loophole in the form of Aphrodite.

how to debate with your fellow olympians in a professional manner (a guide by apollo)

Apollo returns to Olympus. Meg McCaffrey's fate is decided.

Gods' Eye View - Book 1: The Hidden Oracle

I tried to keep my face impassive as my little brother hurtled through the air.

It did not pay to show weakness while in the company of other gods. Passion, yes- but not weakness. That’s why Father had called a council meeting, after all. To show us Apollo’s trials, everything my twin would have to suffer through for having dared to oppose him. It was his way of reinforcing his iron grip on us, of showing he still had power, after the debacles and humiliation from the Second Titan War and the Second Giants War - particularly the latter, as Zeus did more to hinder the efforts to combat Gaea than to help. If we’d all done what he’d commanded, we’d be destroyed by now.

Zeus would never admit to that. Not out loud. But he knows we’re all thinking it.

So naturally, my little brother is his scapegoat. ------------

Zeus calls the Council together to watch Apollo's punishment.

No Light in Sight

Apollo has been missing for the past 2000 years

 

"Who's that?" Percy says pointing at the statue in front of him.

Annabeth looks at the statue before answering, "That's Lord Apollo, Patron God of Camp Half-Blood"

The Patron God? "Why haven't we seen him then?" He questions, because surely the patron god the camp would at least make an appearance

"Thats because he went missing 2000 years ago"

Used To Hang My Head Low~ Now I Hear It Loud (We Gon' Burn The Whole House Down)

Day 16: Nymphs and Negligence

Primordials were defeated by titans. Titans were defeated by gods. Why does everyone assume it's the demigods who will destroy Zeus? Everyone overlooks the nature spirits.

They'll learn.

 

Or: Grover notices a few things about Zeus and has some things to say about it. Unfortunately for Zeus, he talks to Apollo.

True Love Is Taking Turns Lying (and Believing)

day 2: growing pains. Saw this and all I could think of was a) Taking Turns by the crane wives and b) REVOLUTION AU OH YEAHH BABEYYYYY

Soooooo here we have Apollo suffering, as we all love, and his family slowly seeing the Real Him (tm)- and maaaaaybe preparing for a revolution.

Maybe.

(Okay yeah. Some of them are definately preparing for a revolution the more they learn about Apollo.)

(*cough* *cough* artemis *cough* *cough*)

One Light, Higher Than The Sun~ Invisible to Some (Until It's Time)

Day 9: The Hour Past Midnight

Send Me Anywhere~ Take Me Out (I'm The Well They're Gonna Drag You Down)

Day 12: Revenge served cold

Was i NOT supposed to write the beginning of another revolution fic in response to that prompt???? well i dont care either way. It's a revolution fic :)

Sunrise

At 10,000 years of age, Apollo falls to Chaos. With the last of his strength, he sends his memories through the fabric of Space-Time.

At 1 day of age, Apollo refuses to let the story be the same as last time.

Vi Va La Revolution.

 

SkyFall: Season 1, Arc 1- The Rising Sun.

In which Apollo lives through his early life, forming alliances and rewriting mythological history while striving to keep his siblings and family safe from threats outside and within their home. Will he succeed? Or will Fate prevail once more?

One thing is for sure, Apollo remembers.

And he will take his vengeance.

Trials of Apollo - New Prophecy

The Oracles have all be restored, Apollo has gotten is immortality back. He appears at camp to visit Meg and his kids, he finds that fate is not yet done with him.

Hello Ocean, My Old Friend

Poseidon keeps getting offerings from Percy’s baby sister. He doesn’t quite know how to feel about this small child vying for his attention…At the very least he would keep Zeus from blowing up whenever her prayers interrupted council meetings.

Or

Rick Riordan gave us Estelle Blofis and I am thrilled. She's going to get Poseidon to attend family events even if every god on Olympus kills her.

Lester Papadopoulus and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Lester wakes up in an alleyway with several broken bones, a mysterious voice ringing in his head, and only a New York Junior's Driver's License as a clue to who he was. Overall, not the best way to start a Quest.

But hey, at least there's this random 12 year old girl to keep him company.

Family doesn't end in blood

Three times Amphitrite saw Percy help sea creatures, Plus the one time Percy needed help

travel youtuber nico + some guy he's dating

nico has a travel youtube blog, and also a crush/boyfriend who tags along sometimes

"You must make your own choice.": Reconstructing Apollo's Journey within Riordan's Narrative

“I was the worst of the gods,” he says, dropping all pretenses as he sings of his failures to the myrmekes. Because I loved too much. Because I felt guilty. Because I kept trying to do more. Because I kept changing my mind.

These are unforgivable sins for a god. That’s what Apollo and all of his divine siblings have been taught. That’s what they’ve all, in time, learned to believe. Good people don’t survive on Olympus.

And Apollo is, above all, a survivor.

So Apollo doesn’t want to believe he’s a good person.

This is incredibly uncharacteristic of me, he makes sure to specify every time he does something kind, every time he finds himself unable to hide his shame or guilt or doubt, to hide how much he cares, well past the point where we start realizing that it is, in fact, perfectly characteristic of him.

the jackson files

Makin’ pancakes @makinbaconpancakes Does anyone know who the fuck Percy Jackson is???

Oranges are spicy @ronaldmcd Whomst?

Makin’ pancakes @makinbaconpancakes Check rachel dares insta story

Oranges are spicy @ronaldmcd k

Oranges are spicy @ronaldmcd Okay somebody find out who this kid is right damn now.

-

Rachel Elizabeth Dare posts a video of Percy on her instagram story. it all just spirals from there.

Mother of Heroes

Hestia is the goddess of offerings. She is the goddess of Home. She is the goddess of flame. She is the eldest child of the titans.

She is tired of hearing the demigods beg for acknowledgement, and dying without it.

So they're hers now.

Dona Eis Requiem

Really. Apollo would need to have words with the Oracle of Delphi. The one time it has him recite a prophecy instead of Rachel, and it predicts the downfall of Zeus. Couldn't it at least wait until he was not in the presence of his father?

Secrets of the Sun

“No, that kid is too similar to me… way too similar... Almost like he’s…” Apollo’s eyes widened.

“Like he’s you from the future?” Persephone finished.

Dionysus asked incredulously, “You don’t seriously think that right? There’s no way you would ever dare to look like that!”

--------------------------

This is literally just a Trials of Apollo reading the books fic. Hope you enjoy!

 

[Discontinued until further notice]

way down we go

Apollo slipped off the ledge and fell into Chaos.

Down and down he went, the void swallowing up all that he is, he was, and he could be. Darkness. Upwards he rose, gold swirling around him, all that could have been.

Apollo tumbled out of his bed with a yelp, the fall to the floor far bigger than he was expecting it to be. The soft carpet nearly gave him a concussion, his mortal body feeling weak and fragile after that fall into Chaos…

Wait. After his fall?

golden eyes, ocean eyes

There was a moment between birth and ascending where a newborn god was vulnerable, the touch of pure immortality still grabbing a hold of them. Immortality, after all, was not a thing to be created or destroyed. It was the concept of unchanging permanence, and one could not be born or dying permanently, forever.

And those who are not gods cannot see a god’s true form without irreparable harm.

The only thing Apollo ever saw was his sister’s true form.

AKA

Blind!Apollo AU, where this changes everything and nothing at all

Make Hay While the Sun Shines

At the end of the Tower of Nero, the big fight with python ends with him losing. But maybe not, because Apollo wakes up to find himself, in his Lester Papadopulous mortal form... in southern California, 2006?!?!?!?! Self-confidence zapped after his failure with the nightmare snake, with no friends or enemies/murderous exes in sight, currently in unknown territory due to recent character development with a different perspective on life, and about half a decade of history regressed. He plans to lie low, and wait this out, while no imminent danger or uncertain perilous fates surround him. This is the past, before his trials, before any of the prophecies meant anything. He should be able to stay of trouble. It's a foolproof plan. Completely. With no flaws. Surely, surely, this time, nothing will go wrong.

He should've remembered what Percy Jackson said about jinxing himself.

[yotome]

Cynic seeks route to experience actual emotions

(minor not very important spoilers for Sariel)

My first route was Clavis. He's actually the reason I started Ikepri, and I liked him much more than I thought I would - I tore through that storyline twice like nobody's business! In other words, he set a pretty dang high standard.

Next, there was Chevalier. Gotta understand Chevalier to understand Clavis, right? I got through both runs in decent time, though occasionally Chev's MC over-otomed me, and I would have to take a recovery break to handle my alarmingly berserk blood pressure.

I read one of Leon's routes after that, and he seemed like a cool dude. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do both, though, so I tried Yves. He is baby.

I next landed on Sariel's route. It had just been released, after all, plus he's purple and wears glasses for extra cool points. It didn't seem to be going much of anywhere for me at the start, but hey, you never know! It could ramp up!

Then I got to the first hint of romance, and ...

Oh. She fell off something (stairs? ladder? the floor?) because otome, but held onto her books also because otome because she treasures them greatly. He's kinda touched by the strength of her passions overcoming the instinctive fear of a fall, or something (i.e. she didn't catch herself). She thinks he's hot and possibly morally questionable. Yes, honey, he is both. He wouldn't wear a pant leg made of belts if he was just some normal guy.

I tried to go "aww" but found the impulse utterly missing. I wasn't even irritated, weirdly enough. Hello? Heart? You still in there?

... No response.

At that point, I stopped reading his route. I didn't change to another suitor, as I kept telling myself that I'd resume in a little bit. Of course, life happened, and there were days where I forgot to log in ... which is when the app started doing THIS:

The first time it happened: I guess that's kinda cute.

The secondish time: You already told me that.

The ??? time: Dammit Sariel, get over the punishment gag already. What are you, a minister or a one-trick pony??

The most recent time: YOU THINK YOU CAN PUNISH ME, DO YOU? FOOL. YOU HARDLY KNOW THE MEANING OF THE WORD. I'LL MAKE YOU TALK TO CLAVIS FOR 24 HOURS STRAI... hold up, am I getting dramatic at an app notification??

So I'm thinking that's a sign I probably should change routes now. :D (And block the notifications.) I just don't have a particular route I really want to start at the moment, so I must ponder. I am leaning towards avoiding Nokto, mostly because I Strongly. Dislike. Suitors. Getting all up in my MC's space, and I just have A Bad Feeling About This (TM) when it comes to him.

That still leaves:

Jin "I like the tiddies so much I got my own set" Grandet, either route

Leon, who is definitely a Good Guy but his armor looks too loose somehow, round 2

The actual Muffin Man, Yves*, round 2

Licht, who I understand has some Srs Probbems, either route

Luke "Eh" Randolph, who seems eh in turn?, either route

Or heck, I could just ride the roller coaster of bad decisions made with the best of intentions again. You do you in every route and event, Clavis, and I appreciate that. You do you.

*it is only thanks to this game that I know "Yves" is pronounced "eve." Not all "Yeh-ves" weird like I'd been saying it FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE. Thanks, otome! The more you know.

** I did not know anyone named Yves, so I never heard the name said out loud and just ... well, I'm gonna pronounce all the letters I see written unless someone tells me otherwise. That's how my brain rolls.

[skoulsons]

hey yeah it’s me still freaking out over ep4 and the one thing no one else probably care about because I am ill for these idiots. spoilers

first off. I love baylan so much and I know I said it earlier but I do. He’s SO cool and SO high up on a favorite SW character list

but the one scene that still has me is on seatos when the whole gang is together. I posted earlier about ahsoka throwing shin into the wall and then baylan losing it

But what came AFTER that when Sabine gave baylan the map back and then shin came in and started force choking sabine

Baylan kept true to his word. He’d take sabine with them. But obviously shin wasn’t really awake for that whole ordeal, so she immediately goes to protect her master

But what is getting me on an astronomical level is the way baylan says “shin, release her” and shin doesn’t and then all it takes is another “shin.” for her to stop

The second “shin” isn’t even antagonizing or loud or deep and annoyed. It’s a soft, almost a “trust me” tone. yes im short circuiting and blue screening

It’s also, and this is not the Rot talking, the dad way of getting your child to stop doing something. You ask them to stop and they don’t, so you say their name again by itself and then they do. That’s how it always goes

But MOOOORE THAN THAT, it’s calling her by her name. It’s the first time we hear either of them refer to the other by their first time. Now yes, I know, masters calling their padawans their name is super normal. They don’t call them “padawan” like padawans call their masters “master”. And it’s not like shin is gonna go “hey, baylan” to him

I was talking to some friends about this earlier today with Prospect and with Ezra calling Cee “Cee” instead of birdie, little bird, girl, or whatever else. It feels more special, almost, when it’s her first name

Yes I’m absolutely grasping at straws because im Addicted TM to the trope and yes baylan and shin are different than them but. im just crying ok and im needing to Rot over my new favorite people

[fantomette22]

(Do not respond if it makes you uncomfy, reading is enough) I am late for the party but IMO it is really hypocritical when people say you can't ship ghrmria if traditionally mourning dolls were made for children and then turn around and ship mria with a woman who addresses her as her superior and is a victim of nasty experiments mria is covering up. Everyone only bothers with nuance instead of just letting people enjoy things when it is the ship they dislike.

Hello anon! Ah I know what post you read hehe (it resume really well the situation!) Thanks for the support as well ! Some people (one person in that case, can really be hypocrite yes).

I want to talk about this. I mean it's been a part of the harassment I got but you understand I don't wanna scream it out loud everything either. I don't wanna discuss some stuff publicly either so I will keep it to the essential. And well I hope I won't get bother bc of this again. (putting the rest undercut it's a big long sorry 😅)

Alright so I never actually show the ask in question I got. Only in dm to some mutuals & friends. Idk if I should share it publicly so if you want just ask me privately there's no problem I will show it. I got tons of other dumb things too but I won't share them publicly. I'm not playing that game. I'm not answering to hate with hate.

Basically, like you read before the person "ask me" more details on my view on their relationship if I think the Doll is a mourning doll (that parents made for their children) (see my essay/analysis I made a few months ago on the Doll. I will need to update it one day XD so this person might have read it). I mean yeah I think she's similar/have a similar purpose as a mourning doll but she's special. She's not your typically victorian child morning doll TM. Then, they wanted to know more about my different interprets, AUs etc

Love when people disagree bc they don’t like you but then agree with people they like who said the same thing as you… genuine evolution ? Hm…

For real I would love to talk about my many interpretations /stories about this 2 characters (with multiple interprets contradicting each others) but I want a genuine question from someone I know / someone I can put a name one. (even sending the ask on anon but telling in dm who is it is ok too! 👍)

Not someone hiding being anon and with vicious intend. Not someone who's stalking my blog (not a follower), previously (and after) fake approval of my ship content* and harassed me repetitiously for weeks if not months because I interact some times to times with someone they don't like.

*before that I got a "backhanded fake approval" over some drawings I did. Telling me "oh it's cute and all. You're doing it the right way" but then twisting it in a disgusting way with some awful sexist comments... trying to pass the fans of the pairing (and myself?) for bad people I guess? I did answer to it but call them out a bit too. It's on private now. I might have a link somewhere (because well I did spend some times writing cool ideas I want to keep for later)

At first I wasn't sure it was the same person (the fake approval, thoughts about the morning dolls and the harassing asks). But I had doubt so I never answer it. I'm glad I did because surprise ! IT WAS THE SAME PERSON all along ! (when I block ip address it was all deleted) Like wow harassing me, trolling me and trying to fake a genuine question before harassing me more? wow people are sure fascinating. (I really want do believe in you bud ! hope you become a better person !)

I took some precautions as well after all of this. That would be a shame to go private or disable anon ask for 1 bad behaved person. I hope it will be alright now and that I won't get bother anymore.

So about the other ship you mention... at first I was positive toward it but because of a few persons well I tend to be way neutral towards it now (and it's still the main thing in a minor AU of mine lol). Personally, I think, because of my view of Blood.borne world, the healing church, the research hall... that after the experiments began on her it doesn't really work/make sense for me anymore... But I won't go bother people who imagine/interpret a softer version just to be happy and have fun ! got for it guys!

But for real the wort ship experience I had so far was in Kingdom H/earts fandom XD (love this series too) imagined you follow smn cool (twi.tter) and they indirectly punch you? "oh I know the difference between who's a friend and not if you ship characters a&b or not" 💀 like wtf sure you prefer them being friends but don't insult people liking the paring ? specially when there's clues about it idk??

I feel it's more a problem of respecting other people (& their thoughts) than proving they're not canon/ accurate or not. it's not even analysis against facts it's just how I think your ideas (and you) sucks because it's my ideas are not the same.

It’s impossible to 100% agree with everyone about everything. But if it’s not hurting anyone/ dangerous ideas just minimum respect pls. That already hurt enough people throw history and still today (but well the internet..)

I would love to talk more about the characters I love really but all this is making me exhaust mentally. Even when people are nice and calm about it I'm still concerned smn is gonna understand things wrong and just decide to go bother instead of just ignoring it.

[wyrdstonethenovel]

20: Sky and Sea

AN: Wyrdstone is a fantasy web series updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday here on Tumblr. Wyrdstone is a good ol' fashioned rivals fighting for the throne TM. With magic. And gods. And oaths. And mounting rebellions. And shitsss about to go down. Enjoy:

[be sure to follow this page to not miss an update]

XX. SKY AND SEA 

Asho staggered back towards the dias and flopped onto the indigo cushion next to his cousin. “You look grumpy.” 

Admrilia side eyed him. The Governor set his glass down and turned cautiously towards the Conqueror. He appeared nervous. “Tell me, how is General Hortus faring in Aegtrys?” 

“I’ve been pleased.” At the expectant look from the dias he continued. “The general writes that the Senate is contained and the people are content. It has allowed me to mentally focus on the training of my heirs. Argenti shows great promise.” His lips twisted into an expression Asho faintly recognized as praise. “You surely heard of her victory over the silver islands this summer.” 

Mynos stroked a hand through his beard. “Quite the accomplishment.” 

Admrilia offered the Governor a shark-toothed smile. Asho felt his ears grow hot as the Conqueror gave an agreeable grunt. “Yes. Her efforts will allow us to move into the region and get rid of the infestation once and for all. The silver alone…” The Conqueror trailed off. “And she has shown comprehension of the wyrd.”

“Incredible.” Ditas said expressionless. He turned to Asho as he was attempting to eat his envy. “And you prince, how is your wyrd training progressing?”

The olives turned to oil down his throat. The Conqueror’s mouth sealed. This was an expression was very, very, familiar with: disdain. “It’s going.” 

When Asho did not elaborate, the governor beckoned a kerai servant over to refill the glasses. He waved away the attendant. “I’m sure you will be a prodigy prince, just like your father. Skytops he saved the empire at the Battle of the Pines.” The Governor raised his glass to the table. “To Ashen! A great man!”

“I never knew him.” The admission was out before he could chase it back. Asho quickly popped another handful of olives in his mouth to silence himself. 

“The loss of a son is a small price to pay for the security of the empire.” The Conqueror brooded. 

The symposia ground to a halt. Asho’s chewing suddenly too loud. His ears burned. Mynos’ ancient eyes carried profound sadness. “Skytops, you know that better than anyone, old friend. The sacrifices you have made.” The governor turned back to Asho. “Well, I can see the resemblance. You have his eyes.”

“Thank you.” Asho whispered. Only his mother ever said that. 

“The eyes are windows to one’s wyrd. And to gaze upon ocean eyes such as yours, well, how could the Stormlord not destined you for greatness?”

Warmth washed over him. Asho leaned back on the couch, snacking on cheese and olives as the symposia grew tired. Asho lazily fed the hounds scraps under the table while he watched the dancers. A centori approached the dias nervously, and Asho was immediately on edge. The guard whispered in the Conqueror’s ear, handing him a missive. The Conqueror unfurled the papyrus and read quickly, the frown lines around his mouth deepening. The Conqueror turned to Mynos. “End this.” 

Mynos stood. He raised his hands in the air and waited for the court to hush down. “Friends!” He boomed. “Our illustrious Conqueror thanks you for dining with him this evening. The time has come that his majesty wishes to retire. Please leave at once.” The room mingled for a moment more before sensing that there was no way for them to remain. The court filed out of the great hall. The Conqueror’s council waited patiently on their couch, seemingly conditioned for the Conqueror’s long contemplation. When they were at last alone, the Conqueror placed the golden letter slowly next to his untouched plate of food. 

“I am drawn in two different directions.” The Conqueror said slowly. “I have matters to attend to in the north, and a grave urgency in the west.” Those gathered dared not to interrupt. The Conqueror had once had a senator’s tongue ripped out for cutting him off. “We have just received a grave warning from the Governor of Ker regarding suspicions of an uprising in the region.” 

“An uprising? We must root out such a rebellion and extinguish it at once.” Advisor Clavo leaned forward. 

“Agreed advisor, but there is more. Legate Xur has been assassinated. His warnings must be heeded.” The Conqueror’s abyss-like eyes dug into his heirs. “Yet I must continue to Iornore.” He frowned, displeased as he contemplated his decision. “Very well. We shall split our forces. The prince shall attend me to the Iornoak and the Argenti shall take command of the first neptor. She shall sail to Ash-Kai and represent the crown’s interests in my absence.” The Conqueror pointed at Admrilia. “You shall find this rebellion and destroy it. We shall converge later and continue the Triumph.” 

Asho sat in a mystified stupor as the council discussed the logistical matter of splitting their forces. Advisors Khispen and Clavo where to travel with Admrilia, along with some of the Conqueror’s centori. Asho sat as they talked over him, well aware his input was not wanted. The fading brazzers hiding his burning cheeks. 

The great droplets were a welcome distraction as Asho ran down the rain slicked steps of the hill to the beach. He collapsed onto the soaked boards of the dock, staring up at the cloudy sky for the stars. His mind simmered with self-resentment. He had been carted around Kinos and treated as a guest needing watching at all times. He was nothing but a second rate legionnaire next to his cousin’s tactical brilliance. He was so untrustworthy that he was being kept under the watchful eye of the Conqueror instead of being entrusted with the empire's interests. 

And worse, the Conqueror had made the correct call. He was immature and childish and too interested in the finer pleasures of life to be considered worthy for the task. And yet—

How could you not be destined for greatness? 

Asho rolled over and covered his face in frustration. THe rain continued to pelt at the back of his skull. Footsteps approached and then paused as they noticed him. “We have got to stop meeting like this.” Asho said, propping himself up on his elbows. 

Silence greeted him. So they had been drawn to the same spot. Fitting. Of course they wanted the same view to contemplate the destiny that only one of them could hold. 

“Is that why you ran out here?” Admrilia’s voice was tauntingly low. “Are you jealous?” 

“Jealous? Of what? That stick up your ass?” He hiccuped and rolled onto his haunches. Of course he was jealous of his cousin. Admrilia had everything he never did. She had two parents who loved her, siblings who adored her, a crew who respected her. Asho had nothing but a dead father and a mother drowning in too much grief and wine to be present in his life. The thought filled him with envy. Asho frowned as he stood. He gazed up into the rainclouds. “I will be the next emperor.” The words tumbled out quickly then. “I will rule this empire, and I will not let anyone get in my way.” 

Shadows obscured his cousin’s face, but he knew Admrilia caught his words’ bite. The ugly resentment, the growing hatred. Asho tightened his fist as he admitted the truth to himself. He wasn’t just jealous of Admrilia. He hated her. 

“If you are so tied up in destiny Asho.” Admrilia’s voice was colder than the air of the shoreline. “Then look up at your precious constellations and tell me if we are to be rivals.” 

His stars were obscured by the torrential downpour. “Only one of us can be his heir.” He intoned. “That, by its virtue, has made us rivals since birth.” 

Admrilia took a step forward and Asho finally saw her thunderous face. “Do you know why Pi-Yenja is in such chaos? Their nation is constantly broken into a thousand shards because of their traditions. Do you really want to be reduced to an ascension?”

An ascension was a Pi-Yenjan tradition where all of the Emperor’s sons fought to the death for control of their country. The disputes could last for decades. 

“And what would you rather me do?” Asho snapped back. “Let you become a general so you could throw a coup? I know you Admrilia and you are power hungry.” 

“You act as if you would ever be Emperor.” Admrilia scoffed with disbelief. 

“I will be.” Asho said fiercely. He stepped forward until he was a step away from Admrilia. “I am the son of the hero who saved the Empire. You are nothing but the half-blooded daughter of a coward!” Admrilia’s stony mask slid as Asho pushed onward. His words as sharp as any sword. “It is a good thing we are splitting up. The Conqueror may trust you to represent him in Ker. But I know you will betray him. It’s in your treacherous blood.” 

“You’re delusional.” She whispered. 

“No. I am destined.” 

“Destined to drink yourself blind in Iornore.” admrilia crossed her arms. “Is this it then? You are declaring me dead to you?” 

“Yes, cousin.” Asho straightened his shoulders. He hardened his gaze: like the Conquerors; like the Stormlords. Asho lowered his voice to just above an icy whisper. “It’s over. I disown you Admrilia. When I see you again, make no mistake, you will be my rival.” 

[unclewaynemunson]

Prompt for steddie - A+ if it's angsty - but Steve trying to Conceal Don't Feel TM his crush on Eddie by going on dates and Eddie letting out a "hope she's everything you're looking for :))" at some point

Also good luck with your thesis Anna!!

Oooh I love this, thank you so much!!! Here you go, I hope it's angsty enough for you ;P

'How was your date last night?'

Steve was at the trailer with Eddie, having a smoke on the front porch, their knees lightly touching each other as they were sitting side by side on the dirty old couch.

'It was great,' Steve lied.

'Did you get any?'

'Yeah, it was fucking amazing.' Another lie – well, not entirely. He had slept with Rachel. But she had looked distracted and he hadn't been able to stop thinking about big brown eyes or long dark curls or ring-clad fingers while he should've been looking at her.

'Nice,' said Eddie, but there was an odd look in his eyes.

'You know, I really think it's going somewhere with her,' Steve blurted out in an attempt to drive the weird tension that was suddenly hanging between them away.

Eddie raised an eyebrow as he took another drag from his cigarette. 'Really?'

'Mhm. You know she's exactly my type, right?'

Eddie just rolled his eyes. 'I hope she's everything you're looking for, then,' he said. The way he made it sound just slightly biting made Steve's skin crawl.

'Yes, she is!' he said, a little too loud. 'You know what? She's exactly everything I'm looking for, she ticks all those goddamn boxes! She's, like, super hot, with her blue eyes and her long blonde hair and fucking perfect boobies! And she's freaking hilarious, one of the funniest girls I ever met. And we like the same music, she loves basketball, and it – it's fucking terrifying, Eddie. It's freaking me out.'

'What was that?'

Those dark eyes piercing into his own made him completely forget what exactly he was saying. 'It's all wrong, Eddie,' he said, unable to keep the despair from his voice. 'Because she's perfect for me, and I should've been head over heels for her after the first date, but I – I – ' He couldn't tell him. He couldn't say it.

But Eddie was still looking at him like that and he couldn't really think properly anymore.

'Steve.' He felt Eddie's hand cover his own. 'No need to freak out, man. Just keep breathing, alright? You can talk to me. What's going on?'

'I think I'm broken,' he admitted, quietly.

'What?'

He couldn't stand having those eyes on him for even one more second, so he glanced away, bowing his head to stare at the wood underneath his sneakers. Eddie's hand was still touching his, warm and gentle and driving him crazy in a way that nothing about Rachel had driven him crazy the night before.

'I'm thinking about the wrong person,' he tried to explain, unable to keep the frustration from his trembling voice. 'I've been on dozens of dates to get him out of my mind, but nothing seems to be working. And now there's this fucking perfect girl, and if even someone like her can’t get you out of my mind, then probably no one can, and – it doesn't make sense! You fucking broke me, and I can't even have you.'

'Steve?'

Eddie's hand finally left his, and Steve kept staring at his sneakers intently, knowing all too well what it meant that Eddie let go of him so quickly, knowing that Eddie would for sure be disgusted by him.

But then, he felt Eddie's fingers gently touching his chin, lifting his head up to make their eyes meet again.

'Steve – you – you were thinking of me while you were dating all those girls?' His voice was barely more than a whisper.

'I am so sorry, I know I shouldn't have told you, and I didn't – '

'Jesus, Stevie. Do you have any idea how fucking jealous I've been of those girls, hearing all your gross date stories? And all this time, you were into me?'

'Wait – hold on – jealous – huh – what?!' He couldn't even produce a complete sentence anymore.

Eddie chuckled softly at his stammered words. 'What on earth made you think that you can't have me?'

He was too embarrassed to keep looking at Eddie. 'Well, you're... you. You're this cool metal nerd person. We don't share any interests like me and Rachel do, I'm just some lame ex-jock who peaked in high school and works at some stupid video store, while you are this perfect, amazing, fascinating – '

'Okay, shit, there's a lot to unpack there,' Eddie interrupted him, 'and we'll do that at some point, but right now, I need you to shut up, Stevie. Can you do that?'

Steve could only nod as Eddie moved closer towards him. And when their lips finally touched each other, the taste of smoke on his tongue and Eddie's hands in his hair and on his back, Steve immediately knew that he never wanted to go on any date with any girl ever again. He had found everything he was looking for, right here on this dirty old couch in Forest Hills.

[fangirleaconmigo]

Fun little smut prompt: in honor of spooky season coming up, could we get some monster loving? Maybe a Geralt/Jaskier werewolf/tentacle/other monstrous happenings going on? Or just straight up Geralt being a witcher has some interesting smut possibilities. Always down for Geralt being Different(TM) and Jaskier being Horny for It (TM). (Or the other way around. Maybe Jaskier's hiding something and Geralt is really really a-okay with it . . .)

In the witcher books, Dandelion says that Geralt won't kill night spirits because they're "sweet". So for my first monsterfuckery fic EVER, guess what I picked?

--------------------

Sweet.

Geraskier. Explicit. Monsterfuckery, but make it sickeningly sweet.

“I know you said they were sweet. You didn’t say they were that sweet.”

Geralt was hung over. And worse, he had apparently told Jaskier about his arrangement with the night spirits of the Black Forest last night. This morning, he just wanted to forget he ever brought it up. He pictured the fresh bread waiting for him at the little shop around the corner. He walked faster.

“Stop trying to lose me!” Jaskier protested.

Geralt sped up.

“Is it a relationship??" Jaskier panted while he hopped to keep up. "Or is it just fucking?”

Geralt stopped and Jaskier ran into the back of him and bounced off.

Geralt crossed his arms and glared at him. 

“What?” Jaskier flailed. That was what he did when he was frustrated with Geralt. It was kind of cute. “ I just want to know! What’s wrong with asking a question?” He grinned a little too wide.

“This is why I don’t tell humans anything,” Geralt groused. “You lot think it’s a fucking joke.”

“I am not mocking! I am merely asking your relationship status, so I know whether I can invite myself to your next rendezvous, and not get punched.”

Geralt blinked. “Seriously?”

Jaskier nodded enthusiastically. “Seriously! Remember that splinter I got on my ass?”

“How could I forget? The trauma of staring at your ass for an hour haunts me in my dreams.”

Jaskier huffed dismissively. “Oh stop. As though you didn’t draw it out.” 

Geralt rolled his eyes.

“Anyway,” Jaskier continued. “I was trying to tempt a leshen. It was not in the mood. That is how I got that splinter.”

Geralt massaged his temples. “You told me--

“Nevermind what I told you! Now answer me about the night spirit.”

“Godsdamnit. Look. It’s….neither. We’re—-friends.“

“So—-can I come?” Jaskier’s face lit up hopefully.

Geralt opened his mouth. He expected his response to be ‘no’. The last thing he needed was to throw oil on the flames of his idiotic and ill advised crush on the bard. And yet, when he went to form the word, what issued from his mouth sounded a whole lot more like ‘yes’.

Jaskier drew in a breath and bounced happily on his toes.

——-

When night had fallen and the forest sounds grew loud and bold in the cover of night, Geralt and Jaskier stood together in the midst of a clearing in the Black Forest. It was sort of a clearing, but it was small. It was like a nook.

A towering, luminous being hovered above Geralt. It had no face, but it did have a head that was reminiscent of the moon. Tendrils of flowing light flicked around it like whips or tentacles.

The witcher spoke in a language Jaskier did not understand. Then he bowed his head. The night spirit did not reply. It simply disappeared.

“What did she—-he—-they—-say?” Jaskier asked. He had already put on his night clothes for, as he put it, easier access. However, he still had on his favorite coat, that had several bows running down the back. 

Geralt jerked his gaze back to him. “You wouldn’t mind if it...if the spirit were... a him?”

Jaskier laughed. “I’m trying to have sex with a night spirit. I tried to seduce a leshy. Did you think my ability to be attracted to a person was so limited?”

Geralt rubbed the back of his own neck. “I suppose not.”

The night spirit returned with friends. They hovered, like a chorus of apparitions, casting a lovely glow on the witcher and the bard. They made a series of noises. It sounded practically musical. Jaskier tried to commit the tune to memory.

“They said yes,” whispered Geralt.

Jaskier grinned triumphantly and waved expansively as he turned his body in a semi circle to allow his eyes to fall on every single night spirit. “I look forward to sexual congress with you ALL!”

“Fuck.” Geralt muttered. But he was smiling.

——

Geralt stood, facing Jaskier. Only, he wasn’t really looking at him. He was looking at the ground and speaking more quietly than normal. He glowed from the reflection of the light from the night spirits. His white hair made him look like he was wearing a halo.

Jaskier thought he looked quite beautiful like this. He had always been afraid to tell him when he thought he looked beautiful. He assumed he’d kick his ass and leave him.

But now.

Well.

Maybe Geralt was a bit more open minded than he gave him credit for. Also, Geralt had agreed to bring him along. So maybe he wasn’t entirely repulsed by the idea of seeing Jaskier naked either. This was turning out to be a most thrilling night.

“I didn’t catch that Geralt, I’m sorry.”

“I said,” Geralt repeated, with effort, and barely louder. “They think our skin is…pretty. So they like us naked.”

Jaskier already had his coat half off. “Well, who am I to deprive them of all of this!”

He was naked before Geralt could gather his wits.

And ok.

Geralt thought he was spectacular.

“Well, aren’t you going to get naked too?”Jaskier felt like a pervert because he was unable to keep the absolute glee and anticipation out of his voice. To make up for it he offered to look away. “Want me to look away?”

Geralt startled. “No. No of course not.”

The witcher started to take off his shirt, and the night spirits moved towards him as one. A glowing tendril of light touched his cheek.

A lovely expression came over Geralt. He closed his eyes and smiled.

Gods. Thought Jaskier. Fucking hell. He is so beautiful like this.

Jaskier realized he so rarely saw Geralt smile like that. Relaxed. Unguarded. No thought about being judged or found wanting. Every line on his face seemed to fall away. He looked twenty years younger. It made Jaskier’s heart feel like it would burst.

The night spirit was clearly intimate with Geralt, because it helped him disrobe.

Geralt’s cock was already half hard and it was magnificent. 

Jaskier licked his lips. “Alright, now what? What shall I do?” His voice trembled.

Trembled.

Jaskier was far younger than Geralt, but he was willing to bet that he had more sexual experience. He was a renowned lover, goddamnit.

And yet. He felt like a fucking virgin. He got to see Geralt’s cock. It was like the first time he’d seen a breast. He tried not to giggle. Despite his emotions, his body responded lustily to the buffet of witcher before him.

Looking at Geralt had already gotten him insanely erect. He’d been suppressing this attraction for ages, so it was a relief to stop hiding it. And if it offended Geralt, he could just pretend it was the night spirits.

It was entirely believable. They were rather pretty for people with no faces.

But it didn’t seem to offend Geralt. His cheeks were pink and if Jaskier didn’t know him better he would think he were stammering.

“They also like our voices. So. I make noises. Whenever I feel like it.”

“Well!” said Jaskier, clapping “I do that anyway, so this is perfect. Now what do we do. Penetrate? Be penetrated? Just rub around?”

Geralt smothered a smile. “We just. Lie back. They do everything else. They said for you to just watch, so you aren’t frightened when it is your turn.”

-----

Jaskier didn’t believe in the existence of gods, so he had never seriously asked them for anything.

And now he never would. Because really, what more could one want from life?

Nothing more than this, surely.

Geralt of Rivia was spread out in front of him. He was naked and squirming. His thick thighs were trembling.

He really was the most spectacular thing Jaskier had ever seen, stuffed with glowing tentacles, gasping for air, he was transcendent.

Jaskier stepped closer, transfixed, holding out his hand. He wasn’t sure what he intended to do with it. He just knew he had to touch Geralt. He didn’t think Geralt saw him, but then Geralt’s fingers were threaded in his. Then Geralt was pressing his hand to his stomach.

Fuck. Jaskier whispered.

Suddenly the night spirit language sounded a whole lot like common speech. “Kneel, bard.”

So Jaskier knelt. It felt like the only thing to do. Jaskier knelt and took Geralt’s cock in his mouth. He gripped his ass and used it to hold himself steady. He kissed and sucked and licked and forgot what time and space was. All that existed was the hard length of parting his lips. The entire universe was the salty, warm scent and taste of Him. There were no words spoken more important than the sound of his name falling from Geralt’s lips.

As he bobbed his head, he felt something tickle his thigh. It was asking for permission. He moaned. And soon, there were tendrils made of light curling around his body, plunging into him. Geralt’s length fell from his lips as he cried out. 

Soon enough he managed to feel ecstasy and deliver his pleasure to Geralt at the same time.

They crested together, like the swell in a symphony. They spent onto the forest floor, shaking and moaning. Then, Jaskier crawled into his arms and kissed him. It was only then that he realized they were floating, resting on beams of light.

His voice was scratchy and he whispered in Geralts’ ear. “I think I love you.”

The night spirits tittered.

“What did they say?”

Geralt chuckled. He was still sweaty and breathing deep and fast. “They said, ‘it’s about time’.”

"Hey. Geralt did not mention your sarcasm."

And then.

“Wait. They know me?”

The night spirits once again spoke in common. Their voices were as one. “You’re all he ever talks about. We have asked him again and again to invite you, believing it could open communication between you.”

Jaskier looked into Geralt’s eyes. They were pressed against each other now, enveloped in each other’s arms. “Did they now?”

“They did.”

“He loves you too.”

Jaskier smiled. “Is this true? Are you friends having me on?”

Geralt squeezed him. “It’s true.”

The night spirits spoke again, as one. Jaskier didn't ask that time what they said. It sounded more like a laughter.

The night spirits didn't have a cave or den or any place to host them, so Jaskier walked back to their camp, hand in hand. Only now they shared a bed roll.

Years later, when Geralt and Jaskier were married, and people asked them how they came to be together as a couple, Geralt would always change the topic.

But it was inevitable that Jaskier would clear his throat and hold court. He loved telling that story, even if Geralt turned so many shades of pink that he looked purple.

After all, who else can say that night spirits, and their vibrating tentacles brought you the love of your life?

Just one witcher and one bard, he’d wager.